


Handwritten

by Soulofstarrs



Category: The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-07
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-01-25 02:29:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21348763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soulofstarrs/pseuds/Soulofstarrs
Summary: Newtmas AuHe just wants to help, he's just a nice guy. That's why he leaves the notes in the mysterious blond boy's locker...because he knows that he is suffering and just wants to help.It has nothing to do with the fact he is literally an angel fallen into hell...right?Disclaimer:~I don't own any of these characters they all belong to James Dashner
Relationships: Minho/Original Character(s), Newt/Thomas (Maze Runner), Teresa Agnes/Brenda (Maze Runner)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 38





	1. Chapter 1: It's not a love not, ok?

The music didn't really help Thomas feel any more awake or any more motivated to go to school, it was really so he wouldn't have to listen to his friend, Minho talk about his morning hair routine.

"But it was disaster at the same time because my sister had stolen my hairbrush because apparently it 'isn't healthy to stay in the bathroom for that long'" He complained not really caring if anyone was listening or not, or the fact it had been the third time this morning that Tereasa had almost crashed the car. 

Neither did Thomas to be honest, they were all used to it at this point. 

"Minho, can we please talk about something else for a change?" Tereasa begged taking another violent swerve to the left. 

"What could be more important?" He asked and Tereasa rolled her eyes. Luckily for Minho they had arrived at school before Tereasa could've killed him.

Thomas turned his music louder as they walked into the building, to drown the argument between Minho and Tereasa about some tv show. 

All conversations that congregated around him had all been torn by some sort of sharp scimitar. Thomas didn't notice of course, his music was too loud, but he didn't need to as the sort of amusing atmosphere snapped immediately, broken shards woven together with a single lace of darkness infused with pain. 

He turned to his side and dulled his music, there carelessly walking down the corridor, oblivious to the damage he caused was no other than the impulsive Newt Faith. The thunderstorm to the sunny day, contaminating all happiness with his own handcrafted aura of darkness.

The thunder rolled in front of him for moment, he had stopped in front of Thomas for some reason, whose eyes had fallen into his.

A bold flash of lightening tore through his graphite eyes, a dangerous glance that pierced through and beneath the surface of Thomas's skin. 

Newt raised an eyebrow at him and suddenly he was dragged out of the way by Tereasa, giving room for Newt to go to his locker, which Thomas was blocking.

Thomas finally managed to breathe once Newt's focus was else where and he wasn't sure if he was relieved or not. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Tereasa hissed in his ear, clearly as scared of him as everyone else was. But Thomas didn't answer, his attention still drawn to the boy in the beanie. 

Waves of his hair escaped, flowing smoothly behind his ears, brush strokes of the sunshine that he always destroyed, trickles of those many hued stems that danced in the autumn light, whispering gentle songs into the wind. 

Suddenly the boy's attention dragged away from whatever anti-sociable daydream as his head phone was picked out of his ear by a tall girl, with long blond hair and vibrant colours spiralling across any place of herself that she could paint. 

"So the rumours are true, storm Newt has arrived" She said leaning against the locker next to him, causing the small boy who the locker belonged to, to walk away quickly. "I see you haven't lost your flair for the dramatic" She said blowing a bubble with her gum. 

He said something, so quiet that Thomas couldn't hear from where he was standing. She rolled her eyes and placed something into his pocket reluctantly and subtly. She patted his shoulder before strolling away from him, Thomas quickly turned around as she made her away towards him. 

"What you so interested in, dipshit?" She asked him and he stammered trying to find something clever to say, but failed. She gave him a bored glance and knocked his shoulder as she walked past him. 

He felt his arm being captured by Minho who dragged him away from the scene. "Did you lose your head during the summer?" He hissed, turning his head to check behind him cautiously.

"Was that Newt?" He asked and Minho rolled his eyes but nodded anyway. "What's he doing here? I thought he was dead?" Thomas pushed and Minho stopped and grabbed his shoulders.

"Trust me, if he was he would have brought us down with him" Minho explained "He just is never at school, which is a good thing" 

"And who was that girl with him?" Thomas asked and Minho sighed heavily.

"Rose, if there is anyone who is scarier than Newt it's her...apparently she has a razor blade on her" He said and Thomas laughed, hoping it wasn't true.

"What do you think happened to him?" Thomas askes watching Newt as he put his headphones back in and walked down the corridor. "He used to be so sweet" 

"Yeah well he isn't anymore, I have had at least twenty nightmares that involve him in the past year" Minho confessed. 

"Sup bitches what we talking about?" Brenda said, throwing her arm around Minho as she arrived. 

Brenda was Thomas' neighbough, when she wasn't spending time in the library she would be hanging out with them, not like she counted them as her friends or anything.

"Thomas is wondering why Newt has changed" Tereasa said and Brenda rolled her eyes.

"No one is the same after they kill their sister" She said and everyone groaned. "What?" She asked, confused.

"You don't seriously believe that, do you?" Tereasa asked.

"Course, it's the only explaination" She said with a smile.

"Maybe he's just lonely" Thomas said not really paying attention to what's going on. 

"He has Rose" Minho added.

"Nah, she's just his accomplice, they don't actually talk much" Brenda said before grabbing Tereasa's arm to drag her to her lesson.

The way his expressions always fell, dark, tired and broken. Something must have done that, dropped him...things don't break by themselves. But maybe that was the problem, he was by himself.

It was true Thomas was scared of him, but he was smarter than most people. He knew that there was something wrong, very wrong. The way his clothes always seemed too big for him and the shadows that deepened beneath his eyes, weren't something he could ignore.

That was it, just that. He just wanted to help, that's who he was, what he did. He wanted to save everyone, no matter how difficult it was. 

That's why he did it.

He spent the next lesson focused on a small note that he had begun to write, a note that he had written with his left hand. A note he would later slip into his locker after school. A note he had signed with a little drawing of a smiley face.

A note he had to convince Minho that it wasn't a love note.

I know everyone's scared of you, I'm not really sure why. I've heard the rumours, but I'm not scared for some reason as I should be. 

I remember what you were like before, I think that's who you really are. You should know that whatever happens that you are kind, funny and special.

I will never forget that and you shouldn't either. :-)

It was simple act of kidness, that was it...wasn't it?


	2. Chapter 2: Rose Thorns

🎶Do you like walking in the rain?  
When you think of love, do you think of pain...🎶

Although the music was louder than most of his thoughts, for the first time in longer than he could remember...his focus was on the real world.

He couldn't stop staring at it, the note. This was a prank, it had to be, there was no one who'd do this seriously...but who would even be brave enough or suicidal enough to prank him or mention his past?

Unless...

"Very funny" He said shutting the top of the photocopier quickly that Rose was using to place photocopies of her ex's nudes around the school, almost crushing her fingers he did so. 

"Yeah it was going to be before you almost broke my hand" She grumbled stacking the copies she had already done. 

"Not that, although it is going to be brilliant...I mean this" He said taking the note out and slamming into the top of the photocopier.

She studied it curiously and laughed uncontrollably "You think I did this?" She asked and he nodded. She rolled her eyes and grabbed a pen out of her pocket and writting on the back of the note.

"See my handwritting is unreadable" She said and he sighed "Looks like you have an admirer" She said with a smirk. 

"As if, I bet it's yet another thirteen year-old who thinks I sell drugs" He said sighing and grabbing the note, folding it up and placing it in his jean pocket. Rose raised her eyebrow at him.

"It's evidence" He said and she gave him an unconvinced look.

"Or maybe you need it" She added folding her arms. 

"No, no I don't...I'm ending this, whatever this is" He said wincing at his words, clearly confused and storming out of the room. 

"That sounds way to romantic" Rose added and ran after him. If he heard it, he chose to ignore it.

Newt stormed into the dining hall for the first time in years, as expected coversations fell into silence and people began to pack up and leave.

He stood up on one of the tables "Everyone hold it!" He shouted startling everyone and stopping people from leaving the room. 

"Which ever one of you shitheads need to know this, I don't sell drugs, I don't want to be in contact with anyone from pre-school or wherever the fuck you think you knew me and as much as I hate to remind you, if any if you wankers prank me...there will be funerals" He said calmly, through the silent room before kicking one of the lunch trays on the floor and jumping og the table, storming out of the room.

"P.S" Rose shouted across the room before the noise picked up "Gally Fletcher, everyone in the school is about to see what a little dick you really are" She said with a smirk before dissapearing out of the room.

"That was a bit extra, we have a thing going you have to be more of a quiet, deadly pressence" Rose joked as she skipped beside Newt who put his earphones in again.

"Are you going to Biology with me? I have my partner's hair to staple" She said with a grin and Newt just shook his head and lit a cigarette. 

She sighed heavily and patted his shoulder as she always did. Not giving him the lecture about how much of his future he was throwing away, but giving him a look that said it anyway.

"I'll see you tonight, right?" He asked letting the smoke cascade through the corridor. 

She gave him a small smile "You know you will" She said before running off to her lesson.

Newt loved Rose, but he was beginning to feel that she was starting to lose faith in him...starting to give up, just like everyone else had, the police, his parents all of his friends.

He knew that she would never ditch him, he was all she had. But at the same time, his usual pit of anxiety was starting ebb and flow through his veins...everyone will leave you eventually.

He sighed and opened his locker and a small note fell out, he groaned before picking it up.

I'm sorry if I threatened you, I meant good, I promise. I'm not trying go get anything out of you, I just think you should know that you're amazing and full of life...deep down, deep deep down.:-)

Newt sighed, trying to ignore the gushing sunset that was painted through his chest, I guess if he had one...where his heart was. 

Newt thought for a while.If this wasn't a prank it was just some twat from the younger years who had read some shitty motivational quote and decided to try and fix the most fucked up person they could find.

Either way, someone was going to die.

〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️

Thomas couldn't concentrate, his blood boiled and burnt him, forcing his entire body to shake out of sync.

What had he done? His desperation for kindness was going to get him killed.

No one said anythig obviosuly, not even his friends mentioned it. It was like he could hear everything.

Newt scared and controlled this entire school, just like his family scared and controlled the entire town. 

What made him think he could change him?

He was dangerous and Thomas was two senstive to go anywhere near him. No one said it, but he knew this was going to get him killed.

If he got caught, which he probably would as Newt had snitches everywhere, his body would end up found in the Glade river, deemed an accident or suicide by the bribed police. Just like everyone who messed with the Faiths.

His nerves had only increased when Rose had got moved half way through the lesson for attacking poor Harriet with stapler and was forced to sit next to Thomas. 

He tried to hide his handwriting from her, it was guranteed that Newt would have showed her the note and as soon as she recognized it...he would die.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to try and copy your work" She said chewing her gum and resting her legs on the table. 

She picked up her work sheet which was compeltly done and looked about right, even Thomas hadn't done that much work and he was the smartest in the class...tied closely with Tereasa of course. 

"Just because I'm bad doesn't mean I'm not crazy smart" She said blowing a bubble. "You need intelligence to be evil" She said and Thomas smiled nervously.

Thomas tried to continue with his work but he soon became stuck, really stuck. He tried not to show his distress, this was the one area in biology that he didn't understand, no one in his class did really so there was no one to help him and teachers were a joke

"Here" Rose said taking her legs off of the desk and slidding her sheet towards him, scribbling a couple of notes to explain her answer to him. 

"I usually don't help knobheads, but I can tell your not exactly stupid" She said and Thomas smiled.

"Thanks?" He said cautiously, he was still scared of her not matter how nice she was. "I usually don't need help, but it's biology and I can't exactly comminicate with plants" He joked nervously, just like he always did when he was scared.

Rose laughed, which shocked Thomas and caused the entire class to fall silent, no one had ever heard Rose laugh, not even when she pushed iver little kids...which was a shame really as it was a sweet, innocent in a way laugh.

"I like you" She said grinning "You sort of make me want to go to Biology more often, sort of" She said before lighting a cigarette, causing Thomas to try and push the smoke away from him.

"Anyway, I best be off then" She said standing up and packing her stuff away, even though the lesson hadn't finished yet. 

"If you ever need help, like last result, emergency...you can find me" She smiled "Oh and I'm keeping this" She said twirling a pen in her hand that he hadn't noticed she stole from him.

Thomas just stared at her as she left the room, completly shocked...what the hell just happened?

Minho had moved seats and sat next to him quickly. "I think she's onto you man, you're dead" He said.

"Thank you for that, Minho" Thomas said and smiled.

"Or maybe she was just being nice?" Tereasa suggested trying to calm him down. They both turned to her and raised their eyebrows.

"Nope you're dead" She said and Thomas groaned throwing his head on the table.

What had he done?


	3. Chapter 3: You can't hide

🎶Take a little walk to the edge of town  
And go across the tracks...🎶

"Are you even listening Thomas?" Tereasa asked as they walked beside each other on the way home from school. 

"No, sorry" He apologised, scolding his nerves for distracting him again. He couldn't help it, no one could in his suitation...especially if he couldn't stop leaving the notes.

"Tom you need to get out of your head" Tereasa said throwing her arm around him. "You're not going to die, not while I'm here to protect you" She said with a smile which Thomas returned. 

It was nice to feel protected, even though he knew it was useless protection against Newt and Rose.

"I just can't stop thinking about it" He said and Tereasa nodded. "Not about the consequences, I'm more curious what happened to him" He confessed and Tereasa sighed heavily.

"There are somethings you should stay away from" She said "Although I'm not a fan of silly theories like Brenda, there is no doubt he and his whole family is dangerous" She said

"You don't want to be anywhere near them, not even in the crossfire, you don't want to end up like Sonya" She whispered the last part as everyone knew that one mention of Newt's sister would cost your life.

Poor Sonya, she was older than Thomas but was as friendly as he was. No one knew how she died, she just did, no one was allowed to talk about it. But everyone knew it was horrible and a violent death and almost everyone was certain that she was killed by her own family...in particular Newt. 

Thomas didn't believe it, not for a second. He believed Newt along with his entire family were capable of murder but killing their own wasn't possible for Thomas to believe.

It just didn't make any sense, they were all so close and Thomas was sure that the death of Sonya affected Newt, deeply.

"Shit Tom" Tereasa said grabbing his arm and dragging him from the pavement to behind a car. Thomas looked around to see what had scared her, but he could guess first.

They were walking down the street, his street was Rose and Newt. They spoke in hush whispers and kept looking around them. Shit, where they here for him?

Newt looked behind him to where Thomas was hiding. Thomas wasn't sure if he saw him but he left anyway, grabbing Rose's hand and dragging her away quickly.

Thomas stood up quickly. "Thomas don't even think about-" Tereasa began but Thomas cut her off by grabbing her hand and chasing after them. 

They stopped suddenly when Newt and Rose turned the corner into a alleyway. Tereasa grabbed Thomas' arm and took him around the back of the alleyway to get a better look. 

"This is a bad idea Tom" Tereasa said as they hid behind the bin. He ignored her and took another glance over the the bin. 

"Oh shit" He said looking around him and standing up "Their gone" Tereasa's eyes widened. 

"We have to go, now" She said standing up quickly and grabbing his hand. 

Their pace increased with his heatbeat and so did the footsteps behind him. Suddenly Thomas felt his arm being snatched from his side, his wrists pinned against the wall behind him. 

"What the fuck?" Newt asked his grib tightening around his wrists, his eyebrows raised and the essence of ash still trailing from his lips.

Thomas struggled to breathe, using all of his energy to pull his heart back into his chest. "I-" He tried to think of something, anything to say but luckily he didn't have to as Newt quickly placed his hand over his mouth anf looked around him. 

There was a faint hush of voices that faded into the distance as soon as they compeltly left Newt let go of him. 

"Well?" He said raising an eyebrow, clearly not interested in lies and it occured to Thomas that this was the most he had heard him speak. Newt was more more of a silent threat. 

"I-I just..." He trailed off unable to think with Newt's gaze on him, it crawled up his skin and burried beneath it. "I was looking for Rose" He said looking towards the girl that held onto Tereasa's arms aggresivly.

"Now?" She asked clearly annoyed. She let go of Tereasa and stormed towards Thomas. 

"I live round here and I saw you, so I followed you" He lied and Rose sighed. She walked towards Thomas more calmly this time and put her hand in his jean pocket. 

Thomas panicked until he realised she had just got his phone. She typed something in the phone and handed it back to him.

"Text me, next time" She said, clearly still pissed off. She walked off but this time Newt didn't follow.

He placed his hands in his pocket and lookes him up and down again. "What's your name?" He asked calmly, his voice soft for someone whose words where barely spoken, washing ovwr him like a gentle stream.

"T-Thomas" He stuttered his nerves travelling through his mouth. 

"Well then, Tommy, If I ever see you and your girlfriend following me or Rose again..." He began stepping closer towards him.

"Words can't express, just how unpleasant I can be" He whispered in his ear before stepping back again and dissapearing into the darkness he blended in so well with. 

Thomas finally breathed again, leaning his head against the wall in relief. 

"I'm going to kill you" Tereasa said grabbing his arm again, dragging him out of the darkness into the light. 

Part of Thomas was relieved to still be alive, but another part wondered what would happen if he stepped back and followed that strange boy into the darkness.


	4. Chapter 4:Do you need to borrow a spoon?

🎶Don't hold yourself like that  
You'll hurt your knees...🎶

Thomas didn't reall know what to think of what happened early that week. Or the 'near death experience' as Tereasa kept calling it.

It didn't really make sense to Thomas. Why hadn't Newt just killed him? Who was he waiting for and most importantly why had Rose given him her number?

The questions swarmed his mind like bees drowning in honey, which he was sweeter than of course. 

His fingers tapped nervously on the table in the lunch hall, rhythmically to the thoughts drifting through his mind.

"Hey, you need to calm down" Brenda said who had actually sat with them today at lunch, mainly because she wanted to knoe more about the 'near death experience'.

"I'm fine" He lied even though everyone knew it wasn't true. He had done it again of course, leaving another note in Newt's locker.

He wasn't really sure why he did it, it was most likely for the thrill of it...the sense of danger and adventure that he had, becoming an annoying pest for the most dangerous kid in the school. 

Well at least that what he hoped all he was.

"Look, Thomas you need to get out of your head...it's not like Newt and Rose are just going to waltz in here, ask if they can borrow a spoon and kill you with said spoon." Minho said waving his plastic spoon in front of his face, because he clearly didn't care about the turtles. 

Thomas sighed heavily, looking back down at his food. Was there a slight possibility that the world was mad enough for Minho to be right? With everything that was going on, it wouldn't be the weirdest thing happening. Maybe everything will be alright.

But his relief was interupted when he heard the dinner hall growing silent, scraping of chairs and murmers as people began to leave, a pressence of ash and darkness lingering around him.

Thomas didn't even need to look up to understand what was going on. He stood quickly, still looking down on the floor whilst he grabbed his bag. But he was stopped, by a harsh grip catching his shoulder. 

He looked up only for his eyes to be pierced by the ellusive, slick glare that projected out of Newt's brown eyes. 

"Woah Tommy, don't be so eager to leave...we just got here" He said his words rolling of his tongue, stretching each syllable like the silk of a mint gum. 

He softly pushed his shoulder down, but Thomas knew better than to run away. He sat down and gave the others a look who followed his move. For once Thomas had made a sensible decison. 

Silence was always something he hated and it wasn't any better now that he was staring the judge of whether he would live or not. It was like he was gambling, tossing a coin, that's how unpredictable Newt was. 

"Erm...do you need to borrow a spoon?" Minho asked breaking the silence, quickly followed by Thomas beginning to choke back his laughter. 

Rose's eyebrow was raised, mirrowing Newt's as she gave Minho an empty look which cause him to blush shyly and look down.

Newt passed a water bottle to Thomas who was still coughing. It wasn't a plastic one...he guessed Newt liked turtles and not humans. Unless their name was Rose. 

"Thanks" Thomas said clearly his throat when he could finally breathe again. "Erm...why are y-you here?" He said stumbling on his words and instantly regretting it when Newt's glance narrowed. 

"So you find it weird when people follow you but not when you follow others?" Newt asked folding his arms and placing his feet on the table simultaneously to Rose, both of them kicking lunch trays on the floor causing Thomas to cringe as they hit the floor.

"Erm...n-no, I'm m-mean yes...I mean I d-didn't mean to f-follow you" He stuttered biting his tongue once he realised how stupid he sounded.

"And I didn't mean to knock your lunch on the floor" Rose said and that's when Thomas decided that Newt and Rose's minds were interlinked. 

Thomas opened his mouth to speak but no words were able to escape so he just shout it, looking down and pouting his lips whilst trying to hide the blush that spread across his cheeks.

"You're right to be concerned, Tommy" He said his gaze burning beneath his skin. "I didn't come here just to brush that cute colour on your cheeks...I do have intentions...I always do" He said a smirk slicing through Thomas's whole existance. 

"I have a proposition...a favour to offer if you like" He said and Thomas bit his lip, his entire life trembling. 

No, no, no. Everyone knew that if there was anything worse than being killed by Newt it was doing buissness with them. 

"Oh don't worry baby" Rose said her gaze softning "You looked like a terrified Bambi for a second, it's nothing major...you just owe us" 

"W-What for?" He asked and Newt rolled his eyes as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

"For us not letting you get killed...you lost something very important for me the other day...it's the least you could do" He said his voice hollow with no sign of emotion. 

"It's nothing much really, I was going to let you die...really your tiny it would have been easy-" Newt was interupted by Rose who smacked his shoulder and gave him a glare.   
Thomas only could think about the fact that Rose must be the only living person who did that.

"But Rose told me that you have ties with the adminstration office...is that true?" He asked and Thomas nodded slowly. 

"I-I'm a s-student volunteer" Thomas said and Newt bit his lip, staring at him with a curious look. 

"Then leave the office unlocked tonight" Rose said and Thomas felt his eyes widen in shock. Break school policy? Abuse his power? No matter how curupt the school was he wasn't sure if he could do that. 

"W-why do you-" But he was interupted my Newt convering his mouth with his hand which was strangely warm.

"If you have any thoughts of me running through your little head of yours I suggest it best be the one that reminds you that I. Hate.Questions. And as much as I would hate to hurt that pretty face of yours...if I hear another word whispered amongst you about this or me, especially if you ask me a question..." He trailed off letting go of Thomas and pulling a small pocket knife out of his pocket.

He flipped it open letting the blade dance before his eyes. "Well...I think you are capable of using your imagination" He whispered, pressing the side of the cool blade against the surface of Thomas' cheek. 

He draw it back quickly, pricking his cheek slightly and Thomas winced in pain. Newt placed his knife back into his pocket and stood up, placing his hands in his pocket as he walked out of the hall. The echoed with the sound of the smashed doors crashing against the wall. 

Rose rolled her eyes "He likes dramatic exits, if you haven't noticed" She mumbled picking up her jacket and standing around. 

"If I were you I wouldn't allow you to follow through eith that idea that's been in your head for the past five minutes" She said seriously. "Don't follow us tonight, this won't give you some big adventure...you were lucky the first time but Newt never gives second chances" She said turned around and walking off. 

"See you around Bambi" She shouted back to him not even looking around. 

Thomas didn't breathe until he heard the doors slam shoot again.


	5. Chapter 5: Murder she wrote

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thomas tries to keep his end of the deal.

🎶Ignite our dreams  
Of starry skies🎶

Thomas tried to focus on the lyrics sweeping from his headphones, he really did, using it a distraction from his mind that was beating him up.

The thing is, he had never been one for multi tasking, he couldn't even sharpen his pencil and aim for the bin...let alone listen to music, ignore his nerves and write yet another note to Newt.

He sighed, dropping his pen as he gave up and leaned back on his chair. It was too much, all of this. 

He had done what Newt had said, obviously...he may be 'write a letter to the scariet kid in the school' stupid but he wasn't getting directly murdered by said kid stupid. 

He checked the watch on his shaking wrist again. Two minutes, he had two minutes before he needed to get the fuck out of there.

As a student volunteer he had about an hour after school until he could leave. He actually usually liked that because he was able to get some work done more than he would do if he was at home.

One minute

But he didn't today, as the fact that he was the only person in the building, really unsettled him. Maybe because he knew who would be here after he left and he told himself he would leave.

10 seconds

He didn't know what they were doing, or who else there would be here...he just knew that two people would be here, doing God knows what. And he let them. 

He sighed staring back at the note before folding it up and putting it back in his pocket. He covered his face with his hands and groaned. How had he let himself get dragged into all of this? What would his parents think if they found out?

Beep beep.

His watch signalled the end of his procrastination. His whole body stopped shaking, freezing in fear. The only sound fixating the room, was the air displacing out of his lungs...holding onto the last inch of his lips as if, when he let it go...it would be his last.

He stood up quickly, packing his things away from the desk, dropping his notebook several times and failing to zip his bag even more. He left the classroom quickly, knocking until several desks and stumbling as he did so. 

Turn left, down the corridor, put note into Newt's locker then leave and under no circumstances must you sto-His inner monolouge was interupted and he stopped in the middle of the corridor.

There, still hiding in the corner of the classroom was Brenda, headphones in and head buried in a book. 

If I find you, any of you

No, no, no. Thomas began to panic amd quickly opened the library doors, eunning to Brenda and ripping the headphones out of her ears. 

"Thomas what the hell" She complained trying to grab her headphones off of him but he stopped her.

"We have to get out of here now" He said pulling her up from the floor. "Newt's going to be here in any second and he is going to kill us" He added and Brenda's face turned pale.

"Oh shit, Thomas...why didn't you tell me earlier I would've-" But she was interupted by the sound of footsteps, trickling through the corridor like a sand in a hour glass.

"Shit, we have to get out of here" He said and Brenda grabbed his hand and began running through the library. 

"I have an idea" She whispered, looking around her cautiously as they ran. "Whenever I'm feeling anti-social or just want to watch Netflix I sneak out through the school, through the back door in the kitchens...they usually have cookies in there as well" She said as the skidded past another corridor. 

"So that's how you skipped the maths test" He said and she ignored him, concentrating souly on how to get them out alive.

Her grip was tight and deadly, sourced from the fear of death itself as he was dragged through the empty corridors of the school, his shoes squeaking as he did so. 

"Could you be any loude-" She was cut off by the deep yet shallow echoes flooding through the corridor. 

Thomas quickly grabbed her arm and dragged through the nearest door. Their breaths filted through the darkness of the cupboard, illuminated by the light that trickled through the vent. 

Footsteps pooled through the corridor, stealing evedy bit of air from his lungs.

Crash.

Thomas winced as Brenda had knocked something from the shelf. His heart sinking to the bottom of the stomach as the footsteps stopped.

Fuckfuckfuckfuck.

This was it, this was how he was going to go down...he would never see his parents, friends, his brother Chuck ever again. 

All for what? So he could send a stupid letter to this scariest person in the school? 

As the door opened, Thomas felt Brenda bury her face again his chest...hiding from the outcome. 

His breath returned to him for only a second when his eyes were met with the dark pools of kindness that were held by Rose. Beautiful,.kind Rose. 

She gave him a look of confusion and then a frown. "I actually liked you as well Bambi" She muttered, looking dissapointed.

"It was a-an accident, I didn't m-mean too" He rambled, his voice mimicking his heart rate.

"I'm sorry, Thomas" She said looking genuinely sympathetic and he nodded. "It's not up to me"

She shook her head before leaving, Thomas breathed again but not in relief.

Brenda captured his arm again, displacing them both into the corridor. There, like the night time slipping in feom the day, dark and clouded...stood Newt. 

He was leaning against a locker, flipping a knife in his hand carelessly, his siloutte spirtited by the fading moonlight in the distance.

"I thought we had a deal Tommy" He said not even looking up to meet his gaze. No words could scrape out of hos mouth. 

"See the thing is, when you kill someone...you do it, quickly, but slowly..." He began, resting his leg down on the floor, standing up straight. "Playing around with them a bit..."

He walked closer to Thomas, eyes still hidden behind his messy hair. Every step he took, Thomas took a step backwards "Scare them...give them false hope..." Thomas felt his back fall into the lockers. "Then instantly take it away again" There faces were only inches apart and Thomas could only think of the last time this happened. 

"Until...they're desperate for me to kill them..." He said pressing Thomas's head against the locker. "Usually, by killing their friends first..."

Thomas didn't really think, he hadn't been recently. Without hesitation he kneed Newt in the stomach, causing him to step back and groan in pain. 

He was only given a second to be shocked before Brenda quickly grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the building.

Shit, shit, shit..he was done for.

"Thomas!" He could hear Rose running after him but he ignored her. He always thought of himself as a good runner but he was nothing compared to Rose who ran ahead of him. 

"You need to get out of here, he'll kill you" She said standing in front of him "If you need help call me" She said before turning around and walking strianght into the road. 

Brenda was quick to react grabbing her and pulling her back to the pavement just before a car managed to hit her. 

In less than a heart beat Thomas had witness fate fall back and fourth in front of him. "Oh my fucking..." Rose tried to say but struggled, her breathing struggling on a uneven slope.

Newt had caught up with them at thia point but Thomas didn't leave, feeling that Rose's safety was more important than their own. 

His pressence was still unsettling, slipping through his chest and scraping down his spine like a shadow. 

He looked hesistant for once, which was contrast to his usual confidence. Woth his hands in his pocket and feet twitching irritably, he finally looked up at him. 

It was difficult to meet his gaze in the dark but yet his pupils still fell into the dark depth of the unknown. "Thank you...both of you" He muttered, a small whisper in the lifeless night. 

He gave him a small, less menacing than usual smirk...a seemingly attempt of a smile. Underneath the dull light of a lampost...Thomas thought it was simply beautiful. 

Beautiful that he didn't try to kill him of course...yeah that made sense.

He slipped his hand in Rose's who still seemed dazed and dragged her away into the darkness. 

Thomas wished more than anything he could drag them both into the light.

Does it hurt? Thinking about all those dead because of you? I think it does.   
I think you distance yourself away from people because of guilt. Or mayabe you're scared to hurt them. 

I'm always scared of hurting people, even when I hand in my homework I'm scared of giving people paper cuts. 

If you stopped hiding yourself, you think people will no longer be scared of you, you will no longer have power. 

But I think if you stop hiding, people will finally be able to see who you really are. 

And so would I :)


	6. Chapter 6~ The shadow of light

🎶Looks like a strain to the arms it were open...🎶

ALTHOUGH Thomas was talkable and enjoyed chatting to people, he found it quite difficult to iniate a conversation.

He was sitting down next to Minho who was enjoying his lunch, seemingly undisturbed by thoughts, unlike Thomas whose thoughts continued it's recent habit of pestering him.

His gaze and thoughts were fixed on a tall girl sitting behind the bleachers, headphones in and hair covering her face. 

Rose.

Thomas just wanted to make sure she was ok, well after anything and, also to make sure he wasn't going to murdered by Newt anytime soon. 

There was something else of course, he couldn't quite place it. There was a shift he had spotted, a glint in Newt that managed to scrape it's way across the surface of his skin.

Sadness. Thomas had suspected it before, that's why he had wrote the notes...well initially. But it was diffferent this time it being confirmed. 

He wanted to talk to him as well, he wanted to know the Newt that protected and stood up for people he cared about like Rose. He wanted to see what hurt and changed him.

There was only one way through this and that was Rose, she seemed to like Thomas for some weird reason...or maybe she just suspected him. But Thomas knew he could find out of he became friends with her.

"Why are you staring at Rose?" Minho asked, snapping Thomas straight back into reality. 

"I'm not..." He tried to argue but Minho just raised his eyebrow at him. "Fine, I just want to talk to her about the other night" 

"Wow you sound like a sixteen year old girl talking about loosing her-" He tried to joke but Thomas glared at him. 

"Fine, when you escaped death" He said and Thomas nodded, not really wanting to go into any further details. 

"Yes, I just want of know if everything is going to be ok now...if there will be anymore, leaving files unlocked and stuff like that" He said and Minho nodded, re adjusting his beanie.

"Could you...I don't know put in a good word about me?" He said shyly and Thomas narrowed his eyes, taken back slightly.

"Why?" He asked and Minho just shrugged.

"You may or may not have befriended one of the scariest people in the school, do you know what kind of protection and popularity that would get you?Gally would stay the fuck away from you" He stammered, causing Thomas to wince as Minho swore.

"Fine, maybe...but I don't know if we're friends" He said and Minho raised an eyebrow.

"You have had mutual life savings" He said and Thomas thought for a moment, or maybe even longer.

"Oh my God, just talk go talk to her" Minho said and Thomas rolled his eyes but stood up anyway, recieving a push from Minho...litterally as he did so.

The loud shouts and screams that surrounded the schools diltuted for a moment, the only sound thundering through his ear drums being the senseless beating of his heart.

"H-Hey" He managed to say but frowned when he didn't get a response.

He waved his hand in front oh her face, causing her to look up and take her headphones of if her ears. "Bambi" She said grinning "How can I help you?"

"Erm... I don't really need your help, I just wanted to see if everything is ok?" He asked as Rose had nearly been hit by a car.

Her smile fell and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear "Well, I guess so...but I think you should keep your distance Bambi, no good can come from this...whatever this was that's been happening. Sure you may have exceeded your death bed twice, but three times?...not worth the risk" She said and Thomas felt the stone grow heavier in his stomach.

"I want to thank you as well, I guess" He said nodding. "You tried to help us, would be stretch to ask why?" 

She thought for a moment but then grinned. "It was nothing...it was just time for me to do something good for once. And I like you Bambi, can't quite place it, you have a sort of innocence...that just makes me want to protect you" She said and Thomas frowned, his cheeks burning brighter than the end of her hair. "I can't quite place it but I think you are good person, I need more of that in my life"

Thomas smiled "So are we...friends?" He asked hopefully causing her to think for a couple of moments, the silence making him feel uneasy.

"I don't know...I don't really know what makes a friendship, other than scaring people together" She said laughing and Thomas joined her nervously.

"Well they sit next to each other at lunch and in class, talk to each other and go out to like food places or parties together" He said and she considered it for a moment.

"Well I have never done that with you...or ever, unless you count hanging out in school after hours" She said and Thomas chuckled.

"Have you ever been to like a sleepover or a party?" He asked and she shook her head.

"Nope, Newt hates parties and I would hate going on my own...plus we would probably clear the entire place if we both went" She said with a small frown.

"Well this kid in my maths class, Frypan is hosting a party this weekend...you could come with me and my friends?" He suggested and she smiled.

"I guess so" She said and Thomas grinned wider than he had done in a while, he surprised both of them by wrapping his arms around her. She froze for a moment before melting into the hug, wrapping her long arms around him as if she had never been hugged before.

"Erm...I'll guess, I'll text you the details, I you c-can tell Newt if you want" He tried to brush it off as a casual thing to say, but no one could make that sentence sound normal.

She squinted at him, tilting her head to the side. "He won't come, not even for you Bambi" She said amd Thomas nodded, giving a small wave before walking away.

And he couldn't deny that he was slightly dissapointed.

"So...what happened?" Minho asked nugding Thomas eho beamed at him.

"She's coming with us to Frypan's party" He said simply and Minho looked like he was about to faint.

Thomas felt the sinking stone lift slightly, floating to the surface. Like he always did when he was helping someone.

*✭˚･ﾟ

Thomas never understood the huge stigma around parties. 

People either loved them or depised them and even if they said they loved them, it was usually a lie.

He didn't have enough of an emotional connection with them to have much of an opinion of them. He just thought they were overated, whether you were praising them or critiscing them, you were only doing so to sound edgy. 

The only reason Thomas was even going was because it was a time to socialise and pretend he was doing something with his life other than homework and getting emotionally invested in TV shows.

He decided to go to the party in his regular clothes, as he had no other confidence to do much else. But he did take a coat, you know, just in case it got a bit cold outside. 

Also because he was certain his mother had super powers that just knew whenever he wasn't wearing it. He could be drug addict for all she cared, but it as long as he was wearing a coat, it didn't matter.

He met Teresa on the way there and Brenda, whom he had got pretty close with ever since the, 'Will they?or won't they? Death edition' previously. 

"So what are we even going to be doing there?" Teresa asked as the turned to the next street.

"Pretending to like the taste of alchol whilst pretending to like everyone there" Brenda said cynically causing the other two to laugh. 

"Don't really care what's happening, as long as there isn't a karaoke machine" Thomas shuddered, remembering the horrors of Minho's Miley Cyrus cover. 

The door was already open when they arrived and all Thomas could think about was that couldn't be safe of practical.

It would bring an awful draft in, what if we get cold?

But this thought was discarded as soon as they walked in as with the burning lights and sweaty bodies against the walls, he stood corrected.

"Took you guys long enough" Minho said as he joined the three of them, with a smirk on his face, or a smile. Thomas couldn't tell due to the lighting. 

"Brenda took us the wrong way" Thomas said. "Had Google maps the wrong way round" 

"Neither of you pointed that out whilst we were following it" Brenda noted, causing them to laugh.

"Oh look, Rose is here" Thomas said, spotting her in the distance, causing Minho to squeak and hide.

Before Thomas could dwell on it, she was already at his side. "Hey" She said wrapping her arms around the shorter boy. 

"Glad you made it" Thomas said and she smiled as she let go of him.

"So I'm new to all of this and going off what I've read in dodgey books...so what do we do?" She asked and Thomas shrugged.

"Drinks?" Teresa suggested and everyone agreed, causing her and Brenda to go and get some.

"Hey guys" Frypan said coming towards them. "Glad you could make it" 

"Good to see you Frypan" Thomas said giving him a small hug. 

"Rose, wasn't expecting you here" He said, taken back for a moment "N-not like there's a-nything-"

"It's fine...frypan?" She tilted her head to the side and he nodded.

"It's a nickname, but might as well be on my birth certificate" He said woth a wink. "See you lot around and enjoy the party"

Teresa and Brenda returned with plastic cups filled with, what looked like to Thomas filled with death and regret, but drank it anyway.

"Yess I love this song" Brenda said cheering as a Katy Perry song came on. She grabbed Teresa's arm who grabbed Thomas who grabbed Rosa, onto the dancefloor.

The continued to swing their arms around and shuffle awkwardly to the next couple of songs, but eventually Thomas grew tired and as he wasn't drinking at such a speed as the others he needed to sit down.

Rose and Minho followed him to the makeshift bar and sat down, the flashing lights not doing well for Thomas' newly formed headache.

"I like your new hair colour" Minho said, gesturing to the died ends that were now blue rather then pink. The alchol was clearly giving Minho more confidence around her.

"Thanks" She said grinning. "I like what you've done to your hair" She added, which Thomas found weird as Minho's hair wasn't visable under his beanie.

"Thanks" He said looking at his drink sheepishly "So for a first party, how is it going?" 

"Well pretty good, almost exactly as I expected it would be, except there hasn't been a game truth or dare where I have to kiss a really cute guy" She joked causing them both to laugh.

"Oh you just missed it that was in the other room" Minho said, their giggles continuing. 

"Or everyone beong really drunk after being here for only five minutes" She said.

"We haven't had a random pervert that I have to save you from either" He added and she laughed, nodding. 

They continued this strange conversation for several minhtes and Thomas tried to supress his grin as he rested his head against the surface of the makeshift bar.

"Do you want to dance again?" Minho asked amd she grinned.

"Why not?" She said following him onto the dancefloor.

Thomas' gaze followed them, smiling at their messy and silly dancing, their giggles flooding the room.

But his smile fell when a shadow casted through the light. Slipping past happieness and euphoria was the boy of pure darkness and golden hair.

Thomas was unable to panic when he shifted towards him, taking a seat next to him, he was too tired.

Maybe I can sneak past him, without him noticing me He thought.

"I thought you didn't come to parties" Thomas said, instantly cursing his tongue as he did so. 

Newt turned to him slowly "I don't"

"Then what changed?" Thomas asked, hating his newly found confidence. 

Newt tilted his head, as if it interested him how anyone could question him and not fear him. "I'm looking out for Rose" 

"You know she's pretty strong right? She can look after herself" He said and Newt smirked.

"Of course, but no harm in helping. But I had another motive as well" He said stirring his drink with a straw.

"Really? Do parties include fun new ways of murdering people?" He asked quickly biting his tongue after he did so. 

Why Thomas, why? I'm starting to think you want to die.

To his suprise Newt chuckled "I'll have whatever he's having, I'm guessing it's pretty strong" He told the 'bar attender'.

"No, Tommy as fun as that sounds, I just wanted to thank you..for the other night" He said.

"You make jt sound like we had sex" Thomas said, and he was ready to die at this point.

Put a folk in the toaster that will be less painful than this conversation.

"No, I mean the incident at school" He said.

"What before or after you tried to kill me?" Thomas asked and Newt frowned.

"I'm trying here, Tommy and I never try with people" He sounded like he was almost pleading.

"Well I've been told you don't have to try with people, you get whoever you want" Thomas said wiggling his eyebrows.

"I'm a serial killer it isn't hard" He said and Thomas just nodded, as if it was a totally normal thing to say.

"But for it's worth, your welcome. But just stay away from me ok? Just because me and Rose are friends doesn't meam I'm going to be doing you guys any favours" Thomas said

"What kind of favours?" Newt asked, raising an eyebrow and Thomas choked on his drink. 

"Just none"He said. 

"I kind of like this new side to you" Newt said "It's like your more honest"

"And I'll have whatever he's having, because it's got to be a lot stronger than mine!" Thomas said, but not exactly to the 'bar attender', he was more standing up and shouting to no one in particular.

"It's the same drink dumbass" Newt said and Thomas thought he heard a faint giggle, but decided it was just the drinks.

With his eyes syncing with the light patterns, a purple hue that grew bright ans illuminated Newt's face, Thomas was able to notice how pretty Newt actually was. 

God he was unsure how he didn't notice before. 

Strands of hair that losely brushed across his eyes, seemed to capture the essence of sunlight that trickled through the morning taking away the night.

And his eyes, what couldn't he say about them?   
T

hey were the colour of deep sienna, with a mischievous glint that seemed to reflect the corners of his mouth, which were fighting a smile.

They were every shade of brown he could imagine, a raw umber and caramel mix, dotted with bits of dark chocolate. They were glowing with humor and playfulness that gave him shivers and wrapped him in a warm embrace at the same time.

"For someone so pretty you sure are a shitty person" Thomas said, not evem hos thoughts cared about scolding him now. He was to far in deep.

Newt flinched but then seemed to take it as a compliment. "Thanks I aim to please" He said. "For someone so clever, you sure do get yourself in a lot of trouble"

Thomas pouted and Newt grinned, he opened his mouth to say something but then his phone beeped, causing him to draw all of his attention on to whoever had texted him.

"I have to go" He said, switching it off and putting it back into his pocket. "See you around Tommy" He said standing up and disapearing into the darkness. 

And this time, Thomas followed him.


End file.
